The etiology and pathogenesis are not clear at present, but they are related to hypersaline diet, some carcinogenic  substances  like  nitrosamine,  polycyclic hydrocarbon, etc., chronic bacteria infection, post-gastrectomy, some gastric diseases (such as gastric ulcer, chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric polyp, intestinal epithelial metaplasia), pernicious anemia and genetic factors.

According to its manifestations, the disease belongs to "fan wei" (regurgitation), "wei wan tong" (epigastric pain), "yi ge" (difficulty in swallowing), "xin fu pi"(fullness in the epigastrum) in traditional Chinese medicine. The causes of the disease are emotional disturbance, improper diet or long-term deficiency of the spleen and stomach. In terms of pathogenesis, the liver fails to maintain free flow of qi, the stomach qi fails to descend, the viscera fail to function normally, and dampness, phlegm, toxic heat and blood stasis accumulate in the stomach, which may lead to Gastric cancer.